


Hollow

by DreamNoMore



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Divergence, M/M, Platonic Male/Female Relationships, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23682484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamNoMore/pseuds/DreamNoMore
Summary: - Sonadow, post-06 - Eggman has been captured by G.U.N., but all is not what it seems. While Shadow and Rouge fight to prevent his escape and defeat his remaining forces, Sonic becomes increasingly alienated from the life he once led.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 8
Kudos: 64





	1. I Walk Beside You

**Author's Note:**

> All Sonic characters belong to SEGA/SONIC TEAM. For the purposes of this story, the events of '06 played out a little differently, which is going to be discussed within following chapters. TLDR, Solaris got defeated as usual and Soleanna was hit very badly by the attack, but Elise didn't get transported into the past with Sonic and the events weren't erased from the timeline. Solaris, as well as Mephiles and Iblis, is dead and won't be coming back unless some freakish miracle happens (nope, that's not foreshadowing. I don't plan to bring them back in this fic.)
> 
> Hollow will contain violence and swearing so I'm rating it T in advance. There will be some Sonadow later on as well as platonic Shadouge, but nothing explicit. Hope y'all like!
> 
> Note: potential trigger warning for discussions of alienation, mental illness, etc.

_There was nothing but loneliness among the stars. Mobius was an isolated speck, a grain of sand amongst the great ocean of the primordial void. But as he gazed outside of the ARK's windows, he could not help being filled with wonder. The moon was a crescent scything through the blackness, no larger than a thumbnail but nevertheless striking as ever. The planet below him was a beautiful shade of blue, the colour of calmness and serenity._

_Calmness and serenity. That was what he felt on these nights, when he and Maria wandered around the space station together to marvel at the beauty of humanity and the universe. The ARK was a monumental feat of engineering, a testament to how far Mobius had progressed since the days of war and ruin that had dominated its past._

_"Never forget who you are." Maria told him._

_"What do you mean?" he said._

_The girl held his hand and smiled. "You're capable of more than what you think. You're not a machine, nor an unthinking weapon. You have feelings, just as any other Mobian or human does."_

_His grip on her hand tightened. He wanted this moment to last forever. Maria was not a sister by birth, but he still felt just as strong of a connection to her._

_"I won't forget." he said, and looked into Maria's eyes - blue, like the peaceful skies he longed to see someday._

**xx**

"The doctor was _what_?"

"Apprehended by G.U.N. officials under new legislation passed by the UF Senate." Rouge half-sighed. "If you ask me, it was _long_ overdue."

The coastal winds caressed Shadow's face with rushes of warmth. The wooden framework of the pier creaked under his footsteps. He looked to his left, where the waves licked at the sands and young Mobian children played in the evening sunlight. With the crowded metropolis of Station Square behind him, he felt at ease. Work had been relatively uneventful today - he and Rouge had reviewed some security protocols and took part in discussing measures for potential future attacks against the United Federation. The importance of these meetings couldn't be denied, however, as the events leading up to the Soleanna incident had been largely mishandled and overlooked by the authorities.

"I heard some restrictions on robotics within the Federation were heavily tightened." Shadow said, looking forward to the horizon.

"Third-parties can't manufacture mechanized weapons en masse without G.U.N.'s express permission now. Eggman fits snugly into that definition, so he was naturally the first one on their radar." Rouge said, stopping to put her arm around his shoulder.

"What's going to be done about his factories? Surely they wouldn't be allowed to operate anymore."

"You're right, darlin'. Everything's automated, whether Eggman's there to supervise them or not. His robots have an uncanny edge for taking matters into their own hands."

Shadow's eyes widened and his scowl became sharper. He quietly sighed and shook his head. Rouge, knowing he needed some space to himself, walked a few paces away from him. Without needing to speak to him, she already knew what thought was plaguing his mind. Because she, too, had the exact same concern.

_What will happen to Omega?_

**xx**

"Are you alright, Sonic?"

The blue hedgehog was sat with his eyes glued to the television, holding a half-finished slice of pizza in one of his gloved hands. Tails had ordered a takeaway for them to share after another day of running in the Green Hill Zone and admiring the views of the sky in the Tornado. Sonic hadn't even bothered to eat the chilli dogs that came as sides for the pizza.

"I'm not that hungry, Tails." He looked back at his little brother with a smirk.

He stared at the TV screen again. The news of Eggman's arrest was of course the subject that was the main feature of tonight's bulletin, followed by updates on the UF's new anti-weapons and robotics laws. Once the weather section came on. Sonic lay back on the couch, putting his hands behind his head and crossing his legs. The weather was going to be delightful around Emerald Coast tomorrow, which would serve as a perfect escapade for him to take his mind off things again. The Green Hill Zone was a place he'd loved since his childhood, but Station Square's coast felt just as nostalgic to him. The days of his teenage life were going to come to a close soon, and he needed to latch onto some of the places that had made them so special to him.

"How d'you feel about going round to Emerald Coast tomorrow?" he asked the fox, who was standing by the living room's door.

"Only if you don't try and do any stunts on the Tornado's wing again!" Tails chuckled. "According to my calculations, one spindashing hedgehog has enough effective weight to easily puncture reinforced aerodynamic metal, as well as being a potential danger to tourists and beachgoers."

"Yo, why don't we see if Knux wants to join us? That guy has had too much 'me' time lately, as far as I'm concerned."

"He's on Angel Island right now. Guarding the Master Emerald is now more important than ever, as we need to be prepared for future threats. Solaris and the Black Arms came within a year of each other, and that was almost too much for us to handle."

"If and when there is a new threat, I'll step up to deal with it once again. Mobius can't lose its hero, after all." He pointed to himself and laughed. Tails expected nothing more of his big brother, and happily came to sit beside him on the sofa.

"You know I'll be here for you, right? Knuckles and Amy too. No matter what happens." Tails said.

Sonic merely smiled. He hadn't once mentioned the situation with Eggman that evening, which was not only surprising but also concerning to Tails. The fox felt like he needed to comfort his big brother, which Sonic always appreciated. Being a hero wasn't all it was cut out to be, contrary to what many people might have thought. It came with the burden of having to keep up with your own expectations as well as those expectations of others, but something like that didn't matter to Tails. Sonic meant more to him than anything else, and had changed him in so many different ways. If the world abandoned him, he would stand up for everything that Sonic believed in. Even if he was gone.

The hedgehog's death at the hands of Mephiles had taught him that. _No_ , Tails thought, _I can't afford to let myself lose faith in him again, no matter what. This world's changing, and Sonic's changing with it._

**xx**

The run-down warehouse was a perfect hiding spot. It looked inconspicuous in this area of Station Square, where there were no houses or flats, just abandoned construction sites and storage complexes. G.U.N. had frequently used the quarter to maintain their weapons, but Towers had instructed all the arms to be deployed in Westopolis during the Black Arms invasion. But now that national security was at an all-time high, it was unlikely that the military would use anywhere in a large city such as Station Square for storage, even in the most obscure of places within the metropolis.

Rouge had received a transmission from the warehouse shortly after her visit to the pier. It had been routed to her and Shadow specifically, confirming without a doubt that it was sent from Omega. She understood why he'd want to remain hidden, what with all of Eggman's robots now having a price on their heads. G.U.N. didn't discriminate when it came to targets, so even the ones that had defected were in danger. No amount of explaining would change their minds about Omega and other potential defectors, but one thing remained certain: the robots that were still in liege with the doctor were still a major threat to national security. Omega, as always, would be happy to comply with destroying Eggman's remaining forces, although Rouge and Shadow needed to ensure he wasn't discovered by their superiors.

The bat couldn't help but get excited at the thought of infiltrating a long-abandoned building, even if it wasn't a mission from the government. She'd dressed in a black jumpsuit that made her nigh-invisible in the darkness of the night. There were no streetlights by the roads, and nobody else came here around this time unless they'd gotten themselves seriously drunk. All was clear and set out on a silver platter for her.

She stood atop a dilapidated factory building, looking for the easiest route to fly toward the warehouse. She couldn't even risk being spotted by a G.U.N. helicopter, that was how tight the organisation treated its own people in the wake of the Soleanna disaster.

The night winds encircled her as she took off, her sleek form darting through the balmy air with deliberate elegance. She didn't look at the cracked tarmac of the street below her, only straight ahead at the metal fence outside of the warehouse's entrance. She landed on the fence and climbed up to the top of it, being sure to scan the courtyard in front of her multiple times for Omega - or any G.U.N. forces that could be lurking in the shadows.

Rouge didn't realise that a bullet had already grazed her arm until a few seconds later. She instinctively took out the pistol around her belt and looked skyward.

xx

Blackness. That was all Shadow saw in the vicinity of the courtyard. He too had come for Omega's summons, but was just as bewildered as his work partner at what their robot assistant could be doing here. It would make more sense for him to be _in_ the building, but it already didn't seem welcoming to him at all. No matter what, he would see to Omega, though. It had been a while since he had donned the name Team Dark with his partners, but he was still inseparable from them even if he wasn't outwardly friendly toward them.

He walked up to the main door of the warehouse, fetching out the green Chaos Emerald from his quills. A makeshift flashlight wasn't the first thing you might have thought of when seeing it, but Chaos had more uses than just teleportation and energy spears. If Shadow channelled from his body into the Emerald instead of vice versa, it would light up from the union of two different energy sources.

The area around him was instantly bathed in a wash of green light. He could see the interior of the warehouse, which was even more of a mess than he thought it would be. Bits of metal and wood were scattered all over the floor, as well as some kind of large cuboid-shaped object. Shadow looked closer to see a red symbol emblazoned on its side: **Ω**.

He didn't have any time to think before a storm of gunshots opened before his eyes. Cursing under his breath, Shadow dodged to the side, having sustained a gash on his leg. Glass shattered and stone cracked under the sheer volume of fire. He blazed down the open corridor leading into the warehouse, frantically searching for any other signs of Omega. He stopped to recuperate his thoughts, which in that moment had been thrown into total disarray. It was typical for Omega to rush into danger without any regard for his own safety, which had evidently backfired once again. Shadow gritted his teeth in frustration, backing against a wall as more bullets were fired his way. He couldn't hear anyone else breathing. Already, dread was beginning to overtake his senses.

His heart pounded in his chest. Once again, he channelled into the Emerald and the corridor lit up. In front of him was a stilt-legged robot painted orange all over its body. Its arms were built with rapid-fire guns instead of hands. On its chest, the characteristic symbol of Eggman's face was spray-painted in red. Without any hesitation, he launched a Chaos Spear at the robot, hitting it point-blank through its head. An explosion of iron parts littered the walls. It fell down, its freakish gun-hands never to shoot again.

 _I should've known it from the start!_ , he thought. Eggman wouldn't just allow himself to be captured by G.U.N.! There was always more at work behind whatever façade the doctor was putting on, but never would Shadow have expected his forces to have intercepted a transmission only intended for him and Rouge. The most important thing right now was to ensure Omega's safety and get rid of the attacking robots. And he wouldn't let anybody, not even G.U.N., get in his way.

**xx**

Rouge was being hounded by two aerial drones bearing Eggman's logo. They looked like giant, malformed wasps with bloated torsos and helicopter blade-like wings. All around her, the air thundered with bullets. She swerved around to avoid the drones' fire and get right behind them. A well-aimed kick dispatched one of them and knocked it out of the sky. She shot the other one with her handgun, leaving a gaping hole through its segmented body. It tried to grab her with one of its manipulator arms, but soon fell down into the darkness below. More of the wasp drones were crowding around her, at least fifteen in total. They were very easy for any hardened G.U.N. recruit to take down, least of all someone with superhuman strength like Rouge. But the sheer amount of them coming her way could pose a problem unless she thought of a strategy quickly.

She flew down to the perimeter fence and wheeled upward to confuse the drones' movements. Several of them got impaled on the fence's spikes, while others just crashed into each other. She finished off the ones that remained with more shots from her pistol. For the next few foreseeable minutes, there would be no more of the wasps chasing her around. Rouge sighed with relief and landed where the courtyard was. Her attention was immediately drawn to the entrance of the warehouse, where a green light was emanating from the interior hallway.

_Shadow! I knew he'd be here!_

The bat stepped into the hallway to see Shadow kicking a stilt-robot in the chest at a blindingly fast speed, turning it into an unrecognisable heap of dented metal. Another one of the robots tried to shoot him, but the hedgehog threw a full-powered Chaos Spear at it and a few more of its allies. The pungent smell of melted iron and oil filled the space around him. Electricity crackled among the mangled remains. Rouge stood back in surprise at just how _brutally_ he had destroyed them. He hadn't just incapacitated them or just spindashed at them like Sonic would, no, he had _obliterated_ them! Shadow was not one to act violently without good reason, and that was usually because something or other had got in the way of his goals. He had more in common with his blue doppelganger than he realised, including a drive to protect everything that was dear to him.

One of the stilt-robots had already potted Rouge. She landed a kick before it could attack her, making it crumple to the ground. Shadow ran over to it and crushed its head under the metal sole of his shoe. When he saw Rouge, his eyelids drooped downward, obscuring the glassy white of his sclera.

"Darlin', what's happened?" Rouge cried. She _hated_ seeing Shadow down more than anything else. The ordeal with Mephiles came with a great emotional and psychological toll, but had also allowed him to grow even closer towards her and Omega. More than anything, it had given him _purpose_.

"Omega..." he said. He stared into space, turning away from Rouge and the sickly, pervasive smell that hung in the hallway. He reached down to the floor and picked up a large, cuboidal hunk of steel.

Rouge immediately recognised it as Omega's disembodied shoulder.

"No." she said, shaking her head. "I don't believe it."

"We _have_ to get him back. I don't know what the doctor's done with him, but when I find Eggman-"

"Shadow, no." Rouge said, tears in her eyes. "You need to calm down."

" _Why_? I would put my life on the line for you and Omega, yet you still _doubt_ it?"

"That's not what I'm trying to say! We need to handle this in a systematic manner, Shadow. I'm just as concerned as you are about him."

"But - _how_? I hope you've considered the fact that the very people we work for are now after anything created by the doctor, be it those robots that just attacked us or Omega."

Shadow's breaths were becoming hoarse. Unable to bottle up his stress any longer, he collapsed onto his knees and let out an animalistic growl. He banged a fist on the floor multiple times. His eyes were bloodshot, tears streaking down his muzzle. Rouge made sure to keep her distance, but at the same time cupped her face in her hands to conceal her crying. She couldn't bear to see her work partner so stressed like this, no matter what had caused it. And Omega! She would do anything to rescue him, if he was even still alive in the robot sense of the word. Never would she resort to measures as drastic as Shadow was willing to, however. Maybe it was this discrepancy between them that had caused Shadow to become unusually confrontational towards her...

 _No._ It was something deeper. She could never truly understand what was going on in the hedgehog's mind. His thoughts were more complex than what many perceived them to be. He would never truly abandon her or the greater good he strove to fight for. Dealing with mental instability was something he'd always struggled with, ever since Gerald had altered his memories of what had happened aboard the ARK. She remembered how Amy's words had struck him to the core. And then, she remembered his sacrifice. The thought of it simultaneously made her feel sorrow and content. Shadow was truly selfless, and echoes of that still shone through when inner conflict clouded his psyche.

Even when you leave your past life behind, even when you come to accept who you are, you can never be perfect. No amount of being the Ultimate Life Form could change that. Rouge was still a lying, materialistic seductress when she wanted to be. Omega was a trigger-happy robot weighing well over a ton. But despite that, Shadow respected them both. Even Sonic, who once shared an aggressive rivalry with him, was no longer an enemy in his mind. Sure, Shadow acted pretty apathetically towards any suggestion of a race or sparring match from the blue hero, but it was in his nature to be asocial. Now and then, he made snarky remarks and acted egotistically. But make no mistake, he was always up for assisting Sonic and the others when the world was in danger. He mostly stood on the sidelines during the typical conflicts involving Eggman. This time, it had become _personal_! The shock of it all was simply too bewildering for him, almost as if...

...as if it had reminded him of something he desperately wanted to bury within his past. He was walking the thin line between self-acceptance and willing disregard. When things changed so drastically like this, it was hard to deal with for anyone. Shadow had never expected G.U.N. to possibly hunt down one of his closest allies, nor had he expected said ally to be captured or potentially killed by Eggman's robots. It was then that Rouge reconsidered just how much he meant to her, and how much she valued him.

The hedgehog was motionless as Rouge walked up to him and put her arm around his shoulder.

"Never forget who you are." the bat said.

A maelstrom of thoughts stirred within Shadow. With no clear path in front of him, he screamed out. Tears were flooding the fur on his chest.

And then, his movements relaxed. For a second, he was back on the ARK, looking longingly at Mobius and the stars beyond.

"Maria...Maria..." he said under his breath. "...I won't forget."

**xx**

"I was afraid of losing you." Shadow said. "But I didn't know how to express it."

"It's fine, darlin'." Rouge replied.

"No, it's not. I can't let go of Maria, no matter what I try. It's like her ghost is in the back of my mind constantly."

"But it was your memory of her that helped you become calm again. Forgetting her completely would only serve to make things worse for you."

The fireplace's warmth resonated throughout the room. From outside, the sounds of the sea gave the place a nostalgic air. Smooth jazz was playing on the old vinyl player Rouge had bought from a garage sale a few years ago. Framed photos of the Chaos Emeralds were hung up on the wall, as well as one of Team Dark together.

"Can I...stay here tonight? I know it's a stupid question." Shadow said, shifting position on the armchair he was sitting on.

"Hey darlin', it's not stupid at all to ask something like that! You could stay here for months, _years_ , if that's what you wanted." the bat said. Sitting on the armchair opposite to her work partner, she held a glass of wine in one hand.

Shadow smiled back at her. He was his usual calm self now, which gave her much reassurance. He looked out of the window, staring at the listless waves.

There weren't any telling signs of the smile being genuine. Even he didn't know whether he was just trying to keep up appearances.


	2. Into the Wind

The night sky above Angel Island was stunning. Knuckles watched as reflections of the stars danced around on the Master Emerald's prismatic faces. This place was different to Station Square in so many ways. In the city, the air was polluted. There were no open grasslands, and the parks were often treated with disrespect by the citizens. Entire streets had fallen into obsolescence. And worst of all, the sheer amount of people living there was more than enough to discourage him from visiting.

So then, why was it that his faith still remained? Why was it that he, someone destined to live the life of a loner, had teamed up with others to save Mobius?

Sonic, Tails and the others had taught him that he held the power to change his own destiny. For all the times that Eggman had tricked him into thinking they were the enemy, he'd always been proven wrong by the blue hedgehog's sheer will and determination to fight. His naïvety had been replaced by loyalty - not just to his duty as the Master Emerald's protector, but also to the companions that stayed by him through thick and thin.

As the clouds receded, the verdant fields surrounding the altar were bathed in an ethereal wash of moonlight. The wind stilled, silent as an owl's wingbeats. In this peaceful midnight, Knuckles thought about all of the protectors that had stood in his place from generations prior. Their spirits were alive in him and they would never be forgotten. He had never truly laid them to rest, but had rather chose partly to go his own way in life while also accepting their presence. Duty-bound or not, he was still Knuckles the Echidna, and had a bone to pick with anyone who wanted to hurt Mobius.

A singular raindrop hit the altar's main plateau, the splashes glinting off the Emerald. From above, three large birds descended downward towards where Knuckles was standing. He didn't think much of them at first. Their movements seemed...calculated somehow, as if they were looking for something in particular. He instinctively stood his guard. Whatever those things were, they were obviously a nuisance. As they drew closer to him, he noticed that they didn't resemble any kind of bird, or any recognisable animal for that matter. They were shaped like fighter-jets, with a metallic outer coating.

And then Knuckles saw that the symbol of the Eggman Empire had been spray-painted onto their sides. He didn't have much time to react before one of them accelerated towards him and hovered in front of the Master Emerald.

He slugged a punch at the torpedo-robot's "nose" and it crashed to the ground, no longer moving. The other two hovered at either side of him, strangely not attempting to attack him at all. The echidna punched another through its side, sending it cartwheeling through the air until it hit a rocky crag in the distance and exploded.

"Please understand that we mean you no harm." the remaining robot said in a surprisingly life-like voice.

"I'm not taking any of your shit!" Knuckles barked. He practically _ripped_ the robot in two and discarded the two halves behind him.

Despite being glad all of them were gone - for now, at least - he knew that Eggman would continue sending in his robots for the Master Emerald. He hadn't expected it whatsoever, but when that god-damned scientist had a goal in mind, he had every intention of carrying it out in any way possible.

He was seriously starting to doubt whether these next few days would be as stress-free as he thought they'd be.

**xx**

"The repairs are all done." Tails said.

"Spare me the details, won't ya?" Sonic said, his voice echoing all throughout the little garage.

"Of course. There's nothing you need to know except that I readjusted the airfoil slightly to better catch the thermals."

"Aw, man!" The hedgehog chuckled. "Can't make that any simpler, huh?"

"That's...about as simply as I could put it." Tails gave a guilty smile.

As the fox pulled up the garage door further, sunlight streamed into the room. Shelves had been built into the walls, mostly to store blueprints and detailed reports about the Tornado's functions. A sketch of a Chaos Emerald was laid out on the desk below the shelves, labelled with technical language and physics equations that Sonic wouldn't even dare to try and understand.

"Hey buddy, it's fine. We all need a bit of jokin' around to ease the pressure sometimes, don't we?" Sonic said, putting his hands on his hips.

"Right." Tails replied, not intending it to come off as unenthusiastic. As Sonic turned his attention towards the Tornado, the fox's face shifted into a confused expression. Days like these were always important to him, as the sheer sense of wonder and spectacle of flying through Mobian skies was unlike any other. He was still young, still learning, even despite his scientific expertise. But perhaps the most significant part was Sonic's presence itself. Now, with all the courage he had gained to stand up for himself, he was fully capable of being independent. That had allowed him to appreciate more fully the power that Sonic had to change people.

The Blue Blur would always remain himself, living like the wind and following his own morals. And Tails would always remain by his side. And yet, every day felt like a new adventure. Now was a more crucial time than ever for their brotherly bond to be strengthened, lest Sonic become even more estranged from the place he called home.

Sonic awkwardly plonked himself into the Tornado's passenger seat, sitting with his right leg resting on his left knee. He could barely contain his excitement about seeing the views of Emerald Coast one more time, even if it meant getting a little too close to the ocean, and another potential encounter with a rampaging orca. As was usual, he was only going to stay in the passenger seat until after the plane had taken off. He'd tried to sneak past Tails's watch before and stand on the wing even as the plane was taking off, which had ended badly for him multiple times.

"Should we stop off at Angel Island for a bit?" Sonic said.

"I don't see why not. After all, it's been a while since we've seen Knuckles."

"I'm not expectin' him to want to join us, but I miss that Knucklehead like crazy!"

"Amy doesn't live too far away from here at all, so why don't we visit her first?"

"Sounds like a plan, Tails."

Without a word more, the fox got into the pilot seat and readied the Tornado for launch. He checked everything, from the wind speed outside to the amount of remaining fuel in the Chaos Drive that served as its power source. He also made sure all of the emergency items were intact. Every risk needed to be taken care of, no matter if it seemed over-meticulous. Tails made it look easy, but flying a plane was something that took an immense amount of dedication and practice. He'd also learned the hard way that even if you were a prodigy, there was many a time when life decided to screw you over, which in his case meant the Tornado crashing Chaos-knows where in the middle of Station Square's metropolitan area.

Tails drove the plane forward and it hit the tarmac outside with a loud _clunk_. Sonic still got the shock of his life every time it happened, which was something his little brother would never get over. The runway ahead of them had originally been the house's garden - it had taken more than a bit of arguing with their landlord to allow it to be converted. Assisting the Hero of Mobius in defending the planet, however, was probably the best excuse anyone could come up with for such an unusual proposition. It had become routine for all of their neighbours in the street to watch as the plane took off from the garden and cheer as they saw it fly into the unknown. It was astounding that for the severely limited length of the runway, the Tornado was able to achieve full lift. That was one of the wonders of using Chaos Energy as your fuel source. It also reduced the overall potential impact on the air and environment. Some day, its use would inevitably become even more widespread across Mobius.

"Woo-hoo! We have liftoff, buddy!" Sonic said the moment the Tornado flew above the garden fence. He jumped out of his seat and onto the plane's right wing.

The bird's-eye view of Station Square never got old. Sonic crouched over the edge to look at the buildings and parks pass by beneath him. It wasn't long before he spotted Amy's house, which practically anyone could recognise from a distance. The front garden's perimeter was covered in delicately planted roses. And in the centre...was an arrangement of blue tulips in the shape of his head. Amy made no attempts to hide that she liked him a little too much, but dealing with it was an entirely different matter.

Sonic didn't have any experience with love. The concept itself just didn't seem compatible with the way he liked to live, and besides, the moment when he confessed to any would-be girlfriend or boyfriend would probably be the most awkward moment in both his and their lives. Even when you're almost an adult, it's hard to figure out what your feelings actually mean. In Sonic's case, he knew that things often troubled him, but he never really knew how to express them quickly.

"Where are we gonna land? Man, it'll be weird seeing a plane parked next to someone's house!" the hedgehog said.

"I don't think we need to worry about making sure the landing looks inconspicuous. The people of this city have lived through things that are way more bizarre." Tails said.

The Tornado descended, coming to a halt as its wheels touched the solid road. It skidded slightly to the side and banged against the kerb. The entire framework wobbled, nearly knocking Sonic off the wing. Tails gritted his teeth in an attempt to steer it away, but the plane was already in an ideal parking position.

"That one was on you!" Sonic said.

**xx**

Today, Cream and Cheese had come over to visit her. Amy had thought this would be a fun and straightforward day, but of course Sonic always had to come crashing in - _literally._ Of course, he was a great friend to her and vice versa. There was no doubt about it.

Amy just didn't know what to do with her feelings for him. As she neared her mid-teens, she was becoming more mature. Love wasn't needed for you to get by in life. More often than not, the words you said to your teenage sweetheart were only sweet nothings. It was now that she started to realise that maybe, there were better things to be concerned about than an unabated, unreciprocated crush.

The doorbell rang. She sprang up from her chair in the playroom, catching Cream's attention immediately.

"Who is it?" the rabbit said, her voice filled with innate curiosity.

"It's Sonic and Tails. They came here in the Tornado." Amy said.

"Chao! Chao!" Cheese said, jumping up and down next to Cream's feet.

"He wants to meet Mr. Sonic, I think!" Cream laughed.

"Let's open the door for them, then." The pink hedgehog smiled as she walked out into the house's main hallway. As soon as she opened the front door, she could see Sonic doing tricks and stunts in the vicinity of the garden's pathway, narrowly avoiding flattening a few roses.

"Hehehe..." The blue hedgehog cringed. He was never good at entrances.

"Sonic, we need to talk." Amy said.

"What, the garden? I'm sorry about that." He scratched his head.

"No, it's just-" She cut herself off before mentioning what was troubling her. "Don't worry about it. I don't want you to be concerned."

Tails tried to speak, tried to reach out to her. He knew there was something behind that smile but couldn't put his finger on it.

"Mr. Sonic, Cheese wants to say hi to you!" Cream said, holding the chao in both hands. Neither Sonic nor Tails had expected her to be here, although it was a pleasant surprise none the less.

"Vanilla's asking me to babysit. She's started a café down at the south quarter of Station Square, so needs someone to take care of her daughter."

"A _café?_ " Tails's eyes widened.

"Yeah, do you want to check it out later?"

"Well, we were actually planning to visit Knuckles and then explore Emerald Coast a bit, but I don't see why we can't arrange something, right Sonic?"

"Heh, I know it's not my kinda thing, but I'm missin' Vanilla too. The Blue Blur's gotta step outside of his comfort zone sometimes." His face was once again decorated with his trademark smirk.

**xx**

Angel Island was in sight. The first time they'd encountered Knuckles, Sonic had been flying alongside the Tornado in his Super form, after which the exhilaration came to a halt after the echidna punched the Chaos Emeralds out of him. Thankfully, that was something they never needed to worry about again. There were other problems with flying over Angel Island, namely the Master Emerald's wavelengths interfering with the Tornado's power source. Tails's repairs over the past few days had also built up the plane's resistance to external Chaos sources.

To their surprise, the altar looked slightly damaged. Some of the surrounding trees had been uprooted. There was no telling of when it happened, but it was no doubt a result of someone or something trying and failing to get their hands on the Master Emerald. Knuckles didn't play around when it came to his duty.

The Tornado landed on the grass at the base of the altar. This time, there was no pavement in the way, so it was a clean landing.

"We gotta see what Knux has been up to. From what I see, it looks pretty eventful." Sonic said, jumping down from the wing.

The hedgehog raced up the steps, taking Tails by surprise. The fox flew over to the top by spinning his two tails like a propeller. After flying the plane across Station Square and out across the ocean, it felt exhausting. He didn't know whether he'd be fit for Emerald Coast or Vanilla's café later.

"Hey, Knucklehead!" Sonic said in the echidna's face.

The echidna fell back in surprise. He'd been so focused on the Master Emerald that the thought of any visitors hadn't occurred to him!

"Ach, why now?" Knuckles groaned.

" _Why now?_ Because we miss ya, that's why!" Sonic said.

"Eggman wants the Master Emerald, Sonic. Some of his robots tried to attack me last night."

"Wha- but he was _arrested_!" Tails broke in.

"ARRESTED?" Knuckles's jaw was agape. "No, you must be making some kind of mistake. Those robots had Eggman's logo on their sides, I kid you not!"

"Can I...inspect them?" Tails said. "If they're analysed, we can figure out just how he's controlling them."

"But I - I destroyed them."

"Any samples will do."

"I'll give you the one that's the least battered. There were three of them in all, in case you wanted to know."

Knuckles picked up a wedge-shaped ruin of metal that lay unmoving next to the Master Emerald. Sonic gasped when he saw the unmistakable mark of Eggman's logo, indeed confirming what he thought was impossible.

"Man, I thought you were bluffin', Knux!" the hedgehog said.

"Except it doesn't make sense. Even if he has escaped, why would he want the Master Emerald? The last few times he's stolen it, things didn't end up well for anyone." Tails said.

"Those robots tried to trick me into thinking they meant no harm! It's Eggman playing tricks again, for sure." Knuckles broke in.

"I'll get back to you as soon as possible." Tails said. "For now, we'd better go. We've got too many other things planned for today, and we wouldn't want you to get distracted from your protector duty for any longer."

It wasn't long before the fox put the broken torpedo-robot into the Tornado's storage compartment. Him and Sonic waved good-bye to Knuckles, and they finally set off for Emerald Hill.


	3. Two Betrayals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with another chapter, sorry for the wait. This one's shorter than the others but is pretty action packed :))

G.U.N. HQ was not as orderly as you'd expect. The winding corridors and technology storerooms were a bit too reminiscent of the ARK, no doubt bringing back uncomfortable memories for Shadow and Rouge. Humans and Mobians in full military gear stood guarding doors, hands held tightly around their rifles. There would be no mercy for traitors in the ranks or anyone who dared to infiltrate the headquarters. Here, saying the wrong words could mean you were inadvertently risking your life.

As he made his way to the nearest strategy room, Shadow intentionally averted his gaze away from the armed guards. The lights of the ceiling thinned his pupils to slits. The dark grey brick of the walls was becoming monotonous, seemingly stretching onwards for miles. Memories stuck in his head like a knife, Omega's disappearance, the day when Maria-

"Agent Shadow, you're late." a Mobian bull standing opposite him said.

"O-of course." His ears perked up in surprise.

The bull simply frowned. He was a hardened, disciplined warrior in every sense of the word. He'd lost one horn, and the other one looked pretty worn down. A scar ran across his left eye. A stoic nature came naturally with working for G.U.N., no matter who you were. With Shadow, it was more a side-effect of his own uncertainty. Uncertainty of how to express himself, of how to comprehend his own feelings. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that he had alien blood running through his veins.

The strategy room was unsurprisingly bland and dimly lit. Various other agents sat around a table which took up most of the ground space. The walls were decorated with vintage recruitment posters that were put all around Station Square during past wars. The former tactics that G.U.N. used to get more people into its ranks were nothing short of propagandist, yet they were still seen as the heroes throughout history. Shadow, unlike many of his superiors, would never ignore the UF military's dark past. That, of course, was an integral part of initiating change.

Shadow took a seat at the far-north point of the table. Opposite him sat Rouge, who was scanning several documents outlining what was presumably a mission brief. Inwardly, he felt disturbed. Of course, finding Omega was both his and the bat's priority right now, but defending the people of the United Federation was just as crucial.

"It's Eggman, isn't it?" the hedgehog said.

Rouge nodded. There wasn't any sign of their district commander in the room, which was immediately concerning. Unless...

"Apologies, but Commander Shrike is currently missing. We have sent out multiple recon squads to find her and the search is currently ongoing." The bull that had spoken to Shadow outside of the room walked in through the doorway with his arms crossed.

At least G.U.N. had methods to keep things in order. Martha Shrike, a human woman, was one of Towers's favoured commanders for her ruthless nature. If Eggman had somehow gotten hold of her, she'd have already found a way out by now.

"Agents, pay attention! I am Deputy Commander Ceros, and will be taking Commander Martha Shrike's place for the time being. In case the mission briefings you have been given didn't make it clear enough, you are being dispatched out in groups at exactly two o'clock this afternoon. Your targets are multiple bases confirmed to be production sites for Eggman's robots, one of which is powered by a Chaos Emerald. Before I go over any additional points, does anybody have any specific requests or requirements?"

Rouge smiled at Shadow the moment Ceros mentioned the Emerald. It went without saying that she'd been assigned to the factory it was housed in, despite her reputation as a thief. G.U.N. needed to use whatever incentives it could to convince its top agents to participate in missions.

"I want you to all be indiscriminate in your approach. Any and all robots bearing the symbol of the Eggman Empire are to be destroyed through whatever means necessary. Any humans or Mobians working at the facilities are to be apprehended. Do you understand?" Ceros continued.

"Affirmative, Sir." Everyone sitting around the table spoke the words in union.

Except Shadow. His silent anger manifested as sparks of Chaos Energy flashing across his wrist. When Ceros had spoken those words...it hadn't just disturbed him. It had struck a part of his mind that hadn't awoken for over fifty years.

"Excuse me, Agent Shadow, but do you have a problem?" The bull folded his arms.

"No, Sir. Affirmative." the hedgehog whimpered.

This _wasn't_ him! He didn't want to give into the violent delusions that constantly coarsed through him, urging him to rely on instinct rather than intuition. He had to control himself, keep the primal beast in his soul shackled and tamed. Just as Maria had said that night on the ARK, he had emotions just like any other sapient being did. But so did Omega. It didn't matter that he had a CPU instead of a brain. Nor did it matter that he'd been specifically created to stop Shadow from escaping one of Eggman's bases.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Agent? Would you display this kind of behaviour in front of Shrike, or even Towers himself?" Ceros growled.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Shadow cried. "You...you don't know what you're doing!"

_No. Not like this._

_I wanted to speak my mind! Why does everything that I say have to come out so_ warped? _Maria, you didn't want me to be like this, did you?_

"Shadow. You are to be escorted to the exclusion zone. NOW." Ceros said.

"You...don't know who I am. I _don't_ want to hurt you, Ceros, but you need to think twice about your misguided judgements."

"Are you... _siding_ with the Eggman Empire?"

"I'm not a weapon for you to abuse. Did Towers not give you briefings about all of us?"

The conversation was cut short by a squad of G.U.N. troopers bursting through the door. The red lasers coming from their guns were pointed straight at Shadow, who had already shifted into a fighting position. It was more of a threat display than anything else, as he had no intentions to harm the soldiers.

The room practically _exploded._ Bullets ricocheted off the walls. Several of the agents didn't have time to think before rounds tore into their chests, spattering the table with blood. Rouge leapt out of her seat, disregarding Ceros's words. Even the Deputy Commander himself looked taken aback by such an abrupt display of violence.

And then, two words interrupted the carnage. All went still.

" ** _CHAOS CONTROL!_** "

Shadow's first thoughts at that moment brought him back to the ARK once more...it made him think about how _helpless_ he was to protect Maria. Those guns that the raiders were holding were probably the exact same models used by the squadron on the space station. The sounds of the gunshots ringing out in front of him seemed so... _vivid..._ to him.

As the flow of time halted, he realised what he needed to do. He didn't need to abandon those memories. Although they were taking control of him, making him lose touch with the present, they formed the foundations of his being. Protecting the world wasn't just a promise. It was what he consciously believed was best for himself - and more importantly, for others. Still, he needed to find his place amongst the detritus of this ever-changing world. Soleanna wasn't the only thing that had gone up in flames when Solaris was reborn. The natural state of affairs on Mobius had been altered, perhaps even permanently. But Mobius had still prevailed, and part of that reason was _him._

Turning away from the soldiers, he walked over to the table. The sight of all the blood was sickening, disheartening. Faces were frozen in expressions of pure shock and horror.

There was only one thing he could do now. He knew G.U.N. intentionally installed Chaos Energy-absorbing devices throughout their bases to reduce wavelengths from Emeralds and any potential attackers, so his Chaos Control probably wouldn't last very long.

That was, unless he overloaded the machines somehow...

He clipped off both of the Inhibitor Rings around his cuffs. Transporting hundreds, possibly thousands of people at once was an absurd feat, but he was determined to carry it through. Potentially _everyone_ in the building was in danger from G.U.N. raiders right now. He couldn't warp to somewhere like a town hall or hospital, because there would simply never be enough space for them all. Spectres of Chaos Energy emanated from the green aura covering his body. They drifted toward the dead and dying all across the building, passing through bricks and stone. These were actually isolated pockets of distorted space-time that had been created by the ripple effect of Chaos Control being activated. He couldn't create enough of them to send the raiders back where they came, though. There was no telling of how it all would be dealt with later.

The blood staining the table was gone now. Before he performed another Chaos Control and lost all consciousness, he could see that all of the casualties had been literally _sent back in time_ to before the very moment that the bullets had struck them. The world faded to black, and all he could feel was cold hard concrete.


	4. Revival

The ensuing shockwave of Chaos Energy spread all throughout Station Square and beyond, rippling in a spread of effervescent green sparks. The blinding flash of light that had come from the Ultimate Life Form's body shone out of the G.U.N. HQ's windows like a beacon. The ground shook with the force of a tectonic shift. Trees were uprooted from the ground, birds knocked from the sky.

No action, however benevolent, comes without repercussions. Shadow's drifting thoughts had not come to a standstill. The all-too-familiar musty smell of Station Square's abandoned quarter surrounded him.

He felt like screaming! Hardly ever had he exhausted himself as far as this. Chaos Energy was his lifeblood as much as any other Mobian needed sustenance, and for him to lose so much in one discharge could potentially be catastrophic.

Then, several thoughts dawned upon him.

He had betrayed G.U.N. He had risked the safety of not just himself, but everyone in the city too. And for _what?_

He cried out, hoping that someone he knew - Rouge, Omega, even _Sonic -_ was near.

**xx**

Emerald Coast seemed to stretch on endlessly, a patchwork of lush sands and clear blue waters. The afternoon was drawing to a close, with the sun's golden rays slowly fading as the star slowly recessed lower toward the horizon. In a twisting motion, the Tornado skirted the surface of the sea, spreading ripples that extended many metres beyond the plane's wingspan. Sonic, no doubt already fazed by the prospect of being too close to the ocean, was practically holding on for dear life to the cold metal beneath his feet.

"Now _this_ is a little too close for comfort, if I do say so myself!" the hedgehog wailed.

"Sorry, Sonic. I'm really trying my best to keep away from the water, but I must have slipped." Tails frowned, noticing that something was.. _off..._ about the Chaos readings displayed on the cockpit controls. It was most likely the Chaos Drive having a momentary spike in activity, as such occurrences certainly weren't uncommon.

In the distance, two orcas were swimming in the shallows, as evidenced by the tall black dorsal fins sticking out of the surface. The chirping and whistling sounds that the cetaceans made to echolocate were enough to catch Sonic even more off-guard. Sure, it was incredibly unlikely that they'd attack him, or anyone else for that matter, but his former run-in with one here had always made him slightly uneasy about coming to Emerald Coast.

"That's...bizarre." Tails muttered.

"What's goin' on?" Sonic said.

"Complications with the ambient Chaos Energy readings. It's probably having an adverse effect on the wildlife!"

"You mean the orcas?"

"Yeah. As members of the dolphin family, they're naturally very intelligent and curious. Since abrupt spikes in Chaos Energy can be felt by people who don't have any affinity for the Emeralds, I wouldn't be surprised if non-Mobian cetaceans could."

"Sounds pretty interestin',” Sonic said. “but is there any way we can drive ‘em away from here? I don’t want them to end up beaching themselves.” The last sentence was spoken without his signature informal tone, and his eyebrows lowered slightly.

“If we can _neutralise_ the spike in Chaos Energy, there might be some way of preventing them from sensing it.” Tails said.

That reminded Sonic of the time he fought Perfect Chaos - the embodiment of all the negative energy contained within the Emeralds. It could only be defeated by a source of positive energy stemming from the same power source. Balance, a concept that existed throughout nature and almost every culture throughout history, was key. But like matter and antimatter, unity could be dangerous if it wasn’t handled correctly. It took someone like Sonic or Shadow, with a mastery over Chaos, to be the harbinger of that unity.

_Shadow._ The thought of him brought many mixed feelings. He was overall a valuable ally and a good friend, even if he didn’t like to admit it. One of these days, Sonic wanted to race him again, but what on Mobius would it take to convince him? The blue hero needed nothing but adrenaline and adventure to keep his life busy, no matter how much his former rival objected to it!

“Be careful, Sonic. We don’t know who or what caused the surge.” Tails said.

“I think I’ve got a damn good idea, buddy. Just hold on. You’re gonna have to fly to the pier over there, since I don’t wanna put the Tornado in danger.”

**xx**

Rouge didn’t know how to react to what had just happened. It was all so quick, so baffling. She knew security was a priority, however, never would she have anticipated such drastic action because of a verbal argument. She was back in the warehouse that she’d found Shadow in last night, along with hundreds of other equally confused G.U.N. agents. There were thankfully no signs of stray robots or the raiders.

It must have been because of the very person who started it. Shadow, who had once been a staunch enemy in the eyes of Towers, was probably the most powerful figure in all of the military. For him to react in such a way to a district commander was tantamount to treason. The kind of power he had, in the wrong hands, could cause death on a massive scale. And the higher-ups at G.U.N. weren’t ones to cast aside any doubts.

What had shocked her most of all was the sheer carelessness of the raiders. Several agents had momentarily lost their lives, and in such a brutal fashion. Never before had Rouge seen so much blood. The sight of the gore-spattered table was still fresh in her mind, still as horrific as ever.

A tear streaked down her face. There was no use in keeping her sorrows to herself. It was what she’d told Shadow, after all. No matter what happened now, it was important that she still had faith in him for who he was. She, too, was beginning to see the meaning of losing touch with reality.

**xx**

The sunset was beautiful. Sonic gazed at its reflection in the ocean, feeling a strange sense of serenity filling his body. Was his fear unfounded after all? It was an unconscious need that kept beckoning him, fuelled by his desire to discover life’s new horizons.

Several more dorsal fins broke the water. Looking straight ahead, he raised both of his hands up to the sky and began to channel positive Chaos Energy into them.

Deep in his heart, he cried out to Shadow. What had happened to him, and _why?_


	5. Water's Edge

At first, it felt like a hopeless endeavour. There was no way of really knowing what went on in the minds of non-Mobian animals, even if they were close to fully sapient. If Sonic couldn't balance out the spike in Chaos Energy...no, he didn't want to think about what could happen. So much unnecessary harm would come to both the orcas and the beachgoers while the former were stripped of any empathy and their instincts fully unleashed. He'd sworn to protect Mobius, its environment and its people. There was no way he could falter now. The ethereal blue glow that was spreading across his arms and to his torso began to flare upward, a searing twister that caused his limbs to twitch spasmodically. As if in agony, he cried out as the overload of Chaos Energy touched his very soul. _This_ was what he had been born for. A sworn protector. A fearless hero, the voice for all those who could not speak out.

He didn't care if the lifeguards or G.U.N. tried to stop him now. His determination was unshakeable, much like Shadow's. The power deep inside of him was resonating with the Ultimate Life Form's Chaos signature. They were equals in power, two halves of a whole. All this time, he had distanced himself from Shadow without realising just how alike he was to his mirror image. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the parallels was an unwillingness to show weakness and pain. Everyone tried to appear as the ideal version of themselves, which simply wasn't possible. _Nobody_ could ignore their flaws lest they risk harming themselves both physically and mentally.

Sonic's former everyday life had a kind of monotony that would make anyone other than him wish for a way out. What he didn't want to admit is that he had found security and solace in constantly repeating the same routines with Eggman's robots and exploring the wilds of Mobius with Tails. Now, an integral part of that had been taken away. He felt... _hollow..._ without the knowledge that he'd be fighting to protect the people of his world. Still, he remained devoted to that task, but it didn't feel the same without the same status quo that had defined his life for over fifteen years.

Upon the sight of the blue energy settling over the surface of the ocean, the orcas turned away from the direction of the beach. At that point, an entire pod of the cetaceans had congregated around the harbour. Sonic watched until their dorsal fins became thin lines in the distance. With a smile, he waved towards the silhouette of the Tornado above. Tails gave him a thumbs-up, ready to pick him up from the pier. Now, it was just a matter of visiting Vanilla's café and heading home so that Tails could perform a proper analysis on the robot parts that Knuckles had given to them.

The fox landed the plane on the pier and walked out to greet Sonic.

"How did that go, Sonic?" Tails said.

"...Pretty well." The hedgehog scratched his head.

"You alright, buddy?"

"Yeah. Your theory was right. I'm thinkin' the orcas have lost all interest in coming back, for now at least."

"Incredible! I can't believe it worked, really."

"I think we should check on Shadow sometime." Sonic interrupted.

"Wait, where'd you get that from?"

"It's...nothing, Tails. I just wanna make sure he's okay. You know, we ain't rivals anymore."

Sonic crossed his arms and looked back at the horizon. Sunset was drawing nearer by the minute. In the clouds, he saw abstract shapes forming themselves into something almost tangible as the wind passed by. His thoughts were still nebulous and without clarity. He needed to get them out somehow, to tell his little brother how he truly felt!

"Ta-tails?" he stuttered.

"Sonic, I know. You're not feeling that good, right?" Tails said, his eyes drooping in an expression of concern.

"I don't know what the hell's gotten into me. I'm not _myself."_

"It's not your fault! You shouldn't think like that, Sonic!" Tails shouted, tears coming from his eyes. "I- I don't want you to hurt yourself!"

"No, I'm not saying that. I just need some time to myself."

"But - the café. Weren't we going to see Cream and Vanilla there?"

"Some other day, perhaps. I'm probably more of a liability to you and the others right now."

Tails didn't respond. He stepped into the Tornado and gestured for Sonic to come, but the hedgehog shook his head and backed away. The fox was crying more than he'd ever done, haunted by the mere notion that his big brother was suffering.

"Please, come with me. _**PLEASE!** "_ Tails said. "We don't have to visit anyone, Sonic. I think it's important that we have another talk about this-"

But Sonic had already gone, leaving behind only a few small wisps of blue fur.

**xx**

The more he edged closer to the water, the more his mind told him to submerge himself. There seemed to be no point in trying to help himself. He'd desperately tried to articulate his thoughts to Tails, and couldn't even get that right. Sonic cursed himself constantly, feeling more upset by the minute. Under his feet, the sand was soft as the waves lapsed over it. He placed one foot in front of the other, internally debating whether it was truly right for him to have so many doubts about himself.

 _No, Sonic. You still have so much to live_ for!, he thought. The sun was disappearing beneath the clouds for the last time that day, and he felt an odd sense of closure watching it set.

He needed to see Tails again. He needed to make up for earlier, no matter what it took.


	6. Intermission I

Shadow's lethargy was brought to an end by the surge of Chaos Energy coming from Emerald Coast. His lightheadedness was gone. Sudden jolts of pain lanced through his body, which gradually weakened as his consciousness returned. His limp hands twitched. His eyelids fluttered.

The air was damp. Cold. _Like the ARK,_ he added mentally.

"Shadow!" said a voice to his left.

He looked up to see Rouge with tears in her eyes. Never before had he seen the bat so concerned about him - or anyone, for that matter.

"You're - alive?" she said.

He nodded and stifled a sigh.

As the hedgehog pulled himself upright, Rouge embraced him. He held his head down. Tears and blood still coated his muzzle. Yet, he felt at peace here, even when it was the same place where Omega had been abducted. The Chaos blossoming throughout his body was making him drift off into a state of reverie. This alone would never be enough to restore his inner confidence but he already felt as if he was growing as a person. Now, he would not stand by. He would resist the doctor and restore peace to the planet he had sworn to protect. His memories of Maria were no curse. If she was never there for him during the early years of his life, he could have grown up as a pawn of Gerald or the Black Arms - a husk with no thoughts other than to inflict pain on those who wronged him.

But at the same time, it was important for him not to be too over-reliant on the past. There were so many people in the present that needed him as much as he needed them. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a meaningful conversation with someone other than Rouge or Omega...

How he so deeply regretted neglecting Sonic's presence all these years...

**xx**

"Where's Mr. Sonic?" Cream said to her mother, voice laden with concern.

Customers were pouring into the café by the minute. The road outside was bathed in the warm light of the lampposts, with gatherings of humans and Mobians crowding the streets. Never before had Vanilla seen such enthusiasm from Station Square's inhabitants. At this rate, she'd have to hire even more staff. The unprecedented turnout was becoming more of a burden than anything else. It was distancing her from Cream, a prospect which dreaded her.

Vanilla frowned at the sound of whimpering coming to the left of her counter.

Amy.

The pink hedgehog stood leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She shook as if a cold breeze had swept by her, eyes glassy and dilated. Her shrunken form stood out against the paisley-patterned wallpaper.

"Don't worry. He'll come soon enough." the older rabbit said with a smile.

"It's- it's not just that. I spotted Tails on the way here and he was trying to hide in an alley. I - I tried to call out to him, but by that time he'd disappeared into the shadows."

**xx**

The fox had searched fruitlessly for his big brother in the city. The last time he'd been so close to giving up hope was on the ARK, after Sonic had been dropped out of the space station in an escape capsule. The events of the evening had _broken_ him. One thing was clear, though.

Sonic was _not_ okay.


	7. Found and Lost

The once-valiant form of a blue hero now stood facing a blackened sky. The ocean - his fear - was no longer any concern to him. Internally, he scolded himself for ever acting in the way he did towards his little brother. The fox might be _anywhere_ in the city. Tails, for all his bravery and intelligence, was still vulnerable. Sonic's heartbeat wouldn't calm down. The chill of the night air on his fur unsettled him, as if there was some kind of unseen presence watching his every move. The pavement around him was empty of any civilians, while cars only occasionally passed by the roadside. The stillness of night reminded him of the festival in Soleanna - that was, of course, _before_ Eggman had swooped in to kidnap Elise. That night had set in motion events which he'd never forget - for better or for worse.

He stumbled forward. Tried to readjust his posture. He needed to be vigilant. Mistakes were inevitable, but he'd never learn from them if he didn't try to improve himself. Repeatedly, his inner voice screamed to him that he'd failed himself. He punched the ground in frustration.

It wasn't long before he realised that his fist was becoming bloodied. His gloves were now nondescript scraps of fabric lying on the concrete around his feet. To Sonic's surprise, a small orange aura was surrounding his arm.

Somehow, he was... _invigorated._

The torn flesh began to mend itself. The aura spread up to his shoulder and then to his head, sending a bolt of energy through his nervous system. The hedgehog's limbs spasmed. His pupils dilated.

_What in Chaos' name-_

**xxx**

_Sonic, you damned bastard!_ Shadow muttered under his breath.

The blue hedgehog was certainly skilled at Chaos manipulation alright. The Ultimate Lifeform had never experienced such a resurgence of power in himself from a living being - not until now. It stood to reason that some unconscious part of his mind still underestimated his ex-rival's powers. But worse was the fact that Sonic had underestimated _himself._ The blue hedgehog always acted without thinking, a surefire way to cause unintended and possibly harmful side effects when dealing with Chaos Energy.

_We've become...linked somehow. Part of the reason his technique worked was because our biology is so similar, after all._

Thoughts crossed his mind which he wished he'd never dwelt upon. Sonic could easily cause himself suffering if misusing the power that came with the bond - whatever it was. No matter which way you looked at it, innocent lives were in danger. Even Shadow himself didn't fully understand it. It was obviously some kind of incredibly advanced Chaos technique, and Sonic used it by _accident_?

It didn't add up at all.

**xxx**

Sonic stood up and wretched. The deluge of nausea overcoming him was unbearable. The alien sensation seemed to spread to his very bones-

_Calm down. You know what happens when you let instinct overtake you, Sonic-_

He clenched his fists. He could get through this, and he knew he could.

He knew he could find his little brother, no matter how much the pain beckoned him to give up.

The first telling sign of Tails' location would be the Tornado. Station Square was a large city, but there were only so many places where you could park a biplane. The fox stood out amongst any crowd, but even without Sonic he had innate determination.

_That's right! He's looking for me as much as I'm looking for him. I just know it!_

A tear came to his eye, and this time he didn't feel ashamed. His face beamed with his trademark smile.

_I'm comin' for ya, buddy. Just hold on!_

**xxx**

Tails bit his lip as he stepped back into the light. The silhouette of the Tornado still loomed over him. The flickering lampposts lining the pavement weren't too much of a distraction to him, but they certainly weren't much of a help when you were primarily relying on vision to locate somebody. He couldn't stop shivering with anticipation as he took more steps toward the end of the street. It was a crossroads dotted with parked motorcycles. Broken bottles and cigarette butts were scattered across the floor.

He took a deep breath and jumped up, allowing his two tails to propel himself into the air. This way, he'd have a better view of the city. As useful as it would be to him right now, the Tornado was running critically low on power. The Chaos Drive wasn't an unlimited source like an Emerald would be, and needed to be replaced just like any other kind of fuel. In any case, the biplane would have to be used sparingly.

The damned chill of the night air was back again. The ceaseless wind blew past him without any hint of remorse. Above, the pallid grey clouds were temperamental at best, with occasional raindrops falling down to taint his fur. A gathering of crows stood perched atop a nearby chapel. Talons raked the wood of the spire and the intricately carved cross in its surface. Unnerved by the haunting scene, Tails landed atop a roof and backed against the chimney. He could only spend so much time in flight, otherwise he'd get exhausted. His best strategy right now was the most taxing one, too. He knelt down and surveyed the area below the building, finding nothing of note.

Then, he heard thunder. A flash of lightning scattered the crows.

A dark shape landed on the roof. The thing had four pillars for legs, each ending in claws that could rend steel. Two ruby-coloured eyes were set deep in its wedge-shaped head. It craned its serpentine neck downward to meet him. The foul miasma coming from its jaws was enough to make him back away even further, but what sealed the deal was the unmistakable logo of the Eggman empire on its chest.

Tails all but screamed.


	8. Gates of Hell

Shadow knew that a malevolent presence had just descended upon the city. He could feel it in his blood. Something triggered in him, the very switch that'd driven him to save the lives of everyone in the G.U.N. complex. The balance of power in the world was shifting. After Mephiles had driven him to his breaking point, the Ultimate Lifeform didn't think it could get any worse.

How utterly wrong he'd been.

Yet, it didn't change the fact that Mobius needed him. The worst thing he could do right now would be to simply stand by and allow more senseless destruction to befall the planet he loved. The G.U.N. incident was only the beginning of something bigger than anyone could have imagined. The coming weeks were going to challenge him in unthinkable ways.

But he had the resolve to soldier on. He'd get stronger, even if it meant pushing himself to his very limits.

"Rouge, what's our situation with Commander Towers?" he asked. The bat had preemptively changed into her combat suit, complete with two fully loaded pistols at her waist.

"He's badly wounded. The radius of your Chaos Control didn't extend far enough to-"

" _Shit_." the hedgehog spat. Stress was rising through his body again.

"It's not your fault, Shadow." Rouge said.

"If that's the case, I- I don't think Towers was the one who commanded those soldiers to raid the building. It makes no sense for them to have intentionally shot him."

"We've a traitor on our hands."

"Exactly. And it's not often that I'd say this about anyone, but I'd happily put a Chaos Spear through that fucker's heart without a second thought."

Rouge grinned. She liked this side of him, as much as she didn't want to admit it.

"Call me crazy, darlin', but I think there's definitely a connection between the raid and Omega's disappearance. We just need to find out what it is."

Shadow nodded.

"But first, we've got a city to save, Rouge."

**xx**

A torrent of energy shot out from the Master Emerald, piercing the clouds above. It was so concentrated that any particles of air it came into contact with were immediately super-heated, manifesting as brief flashes of lightning-like plasma before dissipating back into a gaseous state. A bizarre pattern of red-and-purple light now lined the sky; a sinister mockery of the aurora borealis. All around the altar, grasslands caught ablaze and were reduced to ash within seconds. The holy ground of the Echidna tribes was being razed and destroyed once more, and there was little that Knuckles could do about it. He thought he'd seen the worst that could have happened to the planet already. Evidently, this was something far more complicated than Eggman remotely operating some of his robots. No human being - or Mobian, for that matter - had the power to just make the strongest power source on the planet erupt with Chaos Energy like that. It would be foolish for him to assume there was no link between this and the flying mechs that had come down to "inspect" the Master Emerald the other day.

His surroundings awash with white light, the echidna fell to his knees. His corneas already felt as if they were burning from just looking at it. Feebly, he dragged himself up the few stairs that stood between him and the Emerald. He coughed up blood, his entire body jerking in a grotesque motion. He grunted and punched one fist into the ground to act as an anchor point. Shards of shattered marble circled around him like a whirlwind. More and more of the air around him was becoming super-heated. His fur was singed in places and his bare skin was rent by the lightning. A plume of arterial blood spurted out from his left arm. Knuckles' vision was fading. He couldn't even will himself to breathe. As darkness took hold of his world, he reminisced on all the times the Emeralds had become endangered by some kind of otherworldly force.

_Chaos. The Black Arms. Solaris. All of the long-forgotten adversaries that the Echidna tribes have faced over the years! I must do this - otherwise..._

_...Sonic and the others will suffer!_

A life in solitude would never change the fact that he deeply cared about the friends he'd made over the years. For all the petty confrontations between Sonic and him, there were just as many times which they stood to fight against a common enemy. No - not even that. They were allies through and through, and nothing could change that. The blue hedgehog didn't realise it, but he had an unmatched sense of charisma about him.

Knuckles staggered forward. Staring down his distorted reflection in the faces of the Emerald, he punched the gem as hard as he could with his other fist. To his surprise, more beams of light emerged from where the attack had landed, shining outward in a vaguely circular pattern. Narrowly evading getting his dreadlocks singed, he punched the Emerald again using both fists. This time, he charged his body with his limited reserve of Chaos Energy. The red aura enveloping his body soon extended into a phosphorescent sheet of light that dispersed the last of the broken Emerald's parts across the ocean and into the unknown.

Soon afterwards, the great pillar of light extending into the sky gradually dwindled in volume like a candle flame. When it finally petered out, the skies were clear. The strange aurora was gone, too.

Knuckles was standing amidst ruins. As much as he tried to stifle it, images flashed before his eyes of his ancestors' destruction at the whim of Chaos. That sense of desolation must have been what Tikal had felt when she saw her people engulfed by the watery demon's body and her tribe's holy grounds eroded beyond recognition. Yet, her spirit had eventually made peace with Chaos. That kind of self-acceptance and resilience was what he truly admired about her.

_**There's been some kind of aberration within the world's Chaos Energy. An...imbalance, if you will.** _

Knuckles gasped as he heard the voice speaking from within his mind. Several will'o-the-wisps were dancing in front of him, shining brighter than any star in the sky.

Y ** _ou made the right decision, honoured cousin. For now, leave this island. Your allies need you, Knuckles._**

He bowed down as a gesture of respect to the Echidna spirits. They had heard his subconscious calling for him, offering some much-needed reassurance. Now that the Master Emerald was shattered once more, Angel Island would fall into the sea again. Given the frequency of attacks from whoever was trying to use the Eggman Empire as a cover, it'd be a while before he got all the pieces together.

He needed to work with the others to deduce just what in Chaos' name was going on. He didn't know what the situation was with Sonic and Tails, but assumed they hadn't found any time yet to perform an analysis on the flying mechs. Cooperation from Shadow and even Rouge - _damn her_ \- was a necessary evil, and he'd have to deal with it.

Knuckles could already sense that Angel Island was succumbing to gravity. At its current velocity, it'd hit the surface of the ocean in under two minutes. He gave a salute to his ancestors as tears began to well in his eyes. Tonight's events had left a profound emotional impact on him.

_Honoured ancestors, I'll never forget you. As the last descendant of your blood, I swear I'll fight for Mobius and its people!_

Knuckles took a deep breath and looked back at Angel Island one last time before gliding into the black murk of the night beyond. His innate senses his only guide, he'd make his way towards Station Square - the last bastion of familiarity he knew. The gates of hell had been opened, but he'd fight whatever came his way.

**xx**

Sonic dashed between the burning buildings, his reflexes barely enough to dodge the plasma lashing down at the ground. Facing the crimson skyline, he was momentarily frozen in shock. It gave him bad memories of the time the Black Arms had attacked Westopolis. Screams were ringing out in the streets. The acrid smoke alone was enough to asphyxiate most people unlucky enough to be in buildings. Cars turned into flaming wrecks as what could only be described as hellfire and brimstone pelted down from the sky. Whatever was attacking Station Square had to be airborne - he needed to be up on the roofs to stand any chance of hitting it!

That's when the realisation hit him. _Tails must be up there somewhere!_

**xx**

Just when he thought it couldn't get worse, Tails found out that the thing could fly. And it could fly _fast._ Its wings were not too much unlike a hawk's, except that they were constructed of metallic blade-like scales rather than feathers. Its body was extremely aerodynamic, complete with scales on its neck that could be folded down to create an airfoil. The overall structure was similar to some of the upgrades he'd considered for the Tornado over the years.

The fox sprinted as fast as he could across the city's canopy, using his tails to fly between buildings. The monster wasn't far behind, though it had thankfully turned its attention away from him. It was engaged in combat with several police helicopters, whose shots didn't do so much as graze its skin. In one fell swoop, it hyper-extended its jaws and savagely ripped away the cockpit of one chopper, making it explode in a shower of metal and glass. He was simultaneously glad and disappointed he hadn't thought to take the Tornado...

Looking desperately for a way to deter it from the remaining chopper, Tails picked up a piece of loose slate and hurled it at the monster's head. It was easily deflected by the scales, and did nothing at all to distract the malefactor from its rampage.

_There has to be some kind of mechanism controlling the scales! It might be a living organism, but like a machine, there's always a vital spot responsible for necessary bodily functions._

He had to find a blind spot not covered by scales, which was much easier said than done. Legend said that even the most fearsome dragons had obvious and exploitable weaknesses, but that didn't reflect reality in the slightest.

You won with willpower, intelligence, and often sheer dumb luck, not by virtue of being heroic.


	9. What I'm Made Of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sonic and Shadow WILL meet in the next chapter. I'm sorry if I kept any of y'all waiting-

Tails had gone through many situations in his life that had tested his courage. For countless nights in the past, he'd been afraid to journey across Green Hill Zone with Sonic because of stormy weather . By now he'd gotten used to the prospect of the world being under threat, and with that came a greater sense of self-assurance. Just hours ago, he might've backed down from this fight. As counter-intuitive as it sounded, his time away from Sonic had made him aware of just how strong he truly was. At this realisation, he _wished_ he could've acted to stop Sonic's growing sense of alienation sooner.

It was time for _him_ to be the big brother now. The protector. Pain and tears didn't matter. All that did was that he tried his best. Sonic was the one who taught him that his fears wouldn't disappear unless he stood up to them. This kind of paradigm shift had seemed unfamiliar to him at first, as it would to anyone his age.

It was time to focus on the here and now. People were dying, which was enough reason in itself to fight for the city.

The creature's sinuous body carved effortlessly through the distant chapel. The blade-like wings came loose in an explosion of bricks before it folded them downward in a stoop-dive. Its three-clawed feet took hold of its quarry, the surviving police helicopter.

Tails was quick to react. He jumped down from the roof, picking up a few more loose slates in the process. Although not nearly as effective as modern weapons, they'd have to do. It'd be hard for him to find any kind of opening for an attack, as well. The wind pressure coming from the clash of the two aerial giants was so great that it nearly knocked him out of flight. He dived to the side to avoid a hail of glass shards coming from the chopper's smashed window. The screams of a man and a woman could be heard from within the aircraft.

"I won't let you hurt them!" Tails said in an uncharacteristically stern tone.

These people had families of their own. In Soleanna, Sonic was revived using the Chaos Emeralds. But there'd be no coming back for people who had never once used Chaos Energy in their lives. The fox felt internal anger for not being quick enough to save the crew of the other helicopter. He fought through the urge to break down and stared the abomination in the eyes, exuding pure determination.

" _I won't let you hurt my big brother. You **MONSTER!**_ "

The words were instinctive. Though the years may scar us, we can take them in our stride. We can take all of the pain and doubt our enemies have instilled in us and turn it into motivation. For a young mind so susceptible to change, it is an even harder concept to understand. An old incantation said by the Echidna tribes told that _thoughts are power enriched by the heart._ For anyone - Mobian or human - this rang true even in a time as technologically and societally advanced as now.

A set of hyper-extended jaws opened in front of his face. He didn't have time to dodge before a stream of plasma spewed forth from the throat. The fur on his forearm was completely burned away from just being a metre away from it.

He wailed in agony. Grabbed onto the closest solid object.

_The helicopter!_

Gravity was taking its toll. Half of the propeller had been melted away, leaving Tails or the pilots with no way to steer it.

He jumped through the window. Someone like him would know that it was an incredibly risky move.

_Sonic thrives on taking risks, common sense be damned!_

The jaws poked through the opening. The air was heating up...

Tails took one of the slate pieces in his hand and jammed it through the roof of the creature's mouth. A ear-splitting screech rang out.

"What d'you think you're-" both of the pilots said in unison.

He put his good hand firmly over the trigger controlling the guns.

The window above the cockpit shattered, rent by claws.

Tails' attack must have hit the part of the monster's brain that controlled its scales, because they were starting to fall off all across its body. It was unable to use any more of its plasma moves, too.

When the storm of bullets sputtered out, its head disappeared in a cloud of red mist.

That didn't change the fact that they were going to hit the ground in just a few seconds.

**xx**

" _Chaos Control_!"

Those words could have only been said by one person.

Before time froze, Tails saw two crimson eyes in his peripheral vision.

He blacked out.


End file.
